Triad1
by Morgaine2
Summary: Spike's lover from the past returns.
1. Triad1

  
  
  
Writing Journal  
Ellcrys  
  
  
  
  
?????????  
  
Giles entered the magic store with a sigh.   
"Was that a sound of exhaustion, frustration or you just want us to ask you what's going on?" asked Anya from the counter.  
Xander laughed and Giles raised an eyebrow. "The third, I would guess."  
Buffy sat up from where she'd been sprawled doing some homework.  
"So…." she prompted.  
"I received a message from Wesley in Los Angeles. They recently had a visitor, a rather frightening one, one who left in a rather bit of a hurry…. Drusilla." he finished.  
"So, Angel and Wesley got rid of her, that's great, well, for them anyways." Buffy shrugged, then she paused, "Do they know where she went?"  
"They believe that she is either coming or is already here. But they didn't make her leave. She felt a presence and left. In a fury, I might add. According to Wesley, her final words were, 'Old witch, you can't have him.'"  
"Have who?" Xander questioned , then a look of enlightenment hit his face, "Spike."  
"Who's this 'old witch' person?" Willow said , with growing interest.  
"I don't believe she meant 'witch' witch, I believe, as does Angel, that Athene has awoken."  
"And Athene is?" Xander commented. "Did I miss a meeting or something?"  
Giles gave him a withering look.  
"As I was about to explain, Athene is one of the eldest of vampires that we have knowledge of. She became a vampire somewhere around 300BC. She was an affluent Roman citizen when she and her brother were turned. Turned by something that no one has every seen or encountered since. The Source, perhaps."  
"The Source, as in the vampire 'Adam'? Willow questioned.  
"Yes, and now she is coming here, because of Spike? Why?" Buffy asked.  
"According to Angel, they encountered Athene's brother, Apollo, during the late 1800's in Greece. He had massacred all the vampires there and attacked Angel, Darla, Drusilla and Spike. Angel managed to escape with the women but Spike was determined to fight, even though Apollo is an adversary far beyond him. He was near death when Athene appeared and saved him, they became companions for about a half-century, then she went underground and he returned to Drusilla."  
"Whoa, back the talking horse up. This Apollo guy, he hunts vampires?"  
Buffy asked.  
"He hunts whatever he can, humans, vampires, animals, he just hunts.  
Angel said he has never met another vampire that he found so frightening." Giles said.  
"But his sister is different? I mean she saved Spike." Willow said encouragingly.  
"Which puts her sanity in question, but she's not a killer." Xander said, deadpan.  
"I never said Athene was not a killer. She is a vampire, a very ancient one, so believe me, she has killed. However, vampires as ancient as she do not need to feed very often and she goes underground which is how she has lasted so long." Giles answered.  
"Underground, like under the ground? Buried?" Buffy asked.  
"Yes. Vampires who live past a certain point must rest in the earth, or they grow weary, and insane. They need time to grow into the time that they are in. Athene has gone underground many times." Giles said.  
"And her brother?" Anya asked. "Crazed hunter-guy?"  
"He too, has gone underground, he usually follows Athene's example, whether it's a twin bond or a vampire sense, I do not know. But whenever Athene has disappeared, so has Apollo. And when she wakes, so does he."   
"So Athene has crawled out of her grave and is coming to get Spike, and Drusilla sensed this and wants to keep Spike to herself?" Buffy finished.  
"In essence, yes. My main concern is whether Apollo will follow his sister here. He could be a problem." said Giles.  
"Well, I'm going to go get Spike. Maybe for once he can be helpful."  
Buffy said.  
Xander laughed softly, and Anya turned to him. "You find this funny?"  
"Not this situation, no. But Drusilla's a typical woman, even if she is a nut and dead. 'I don't want him, but no one else can have him.'" Xander laughed, then choked off the laugh as Anya, Willow, and Buffy glared at him.  
"Come on, you know it's true. Giles, you agree, don't you?" Xander begged.  
Giles looked around the room. "Yes, well, off to get Spike then." he said prudently.  
  
Spike, however, had already been got.  
  
William the Bloody, aka Spike, aka vampire who had offed two, count them two Slayers, was a little scared. He'd come out of his sleep into a dark cave, and was trapped so he couldn't get out. The only exit was so bloody far above that even he couldn't jump it.  
And he had no idea how he'd gotten here.  
The only thing he remembered was the lingering scent of musk, one that he could still detect in this cage. The scent was elusive, as was the memory that it evoked.  
Then he heard the sound, like wind over the water and he looked up to see 'her' floating down to him.  
Spike stared in amazement at her as she landed in front of him.  
Her hair was raven curls to her tiny waist, her classically perfect face with huge eyes of amber that reminded him of pools of molten gold, surrounded by long, tangled, dark lashes. Her mouth, exquisite burgundy, sensuous and soft.  
She wore a wine colored gown of silk in the greek style with a gold clasp at the shoulder, and gold sandals on her feet.  
And she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.  
"Athene." he breathed.  
She smiled softly. "My Spike. Did you miss me?"  
"How, when…..I can't believe that you're here." Spike whispered.  
"I awoke, and the only thing that filled my head was your song. So I followed it to you." she smiled again, that mysterious half-smile that she wore often.  
Spike was barely conscious of drawing her into his arms. His mouth covered hers and his head swam at the sensations through his body.  
Her scent around him like a web, the softness of her cold skin, the sweet taste of her.  
He bore her down under him, tearing off his clothes, then hers. The his thrust and the cry from her throat. She cried out his name as he ground into her, harder and harder. Her back arched under him and with a roar he slammed the wrists that he held back into ground and drove his fangs into her neck. The delirium of that ancient blood and the power that it held flowed through him. He stated to shake and then he felt her reach and pull him to her mouth and the razor points enter him and the draining of him, taking him toward the darkness, then that long moment of ecstasy when she opened a vein along her breast for him and he suckled and fed as any starving man would. And then the exhaustion as they curled together on the earthen floor and slept.  
  
He awoke alone in his crypt.   
Pulling on his tattered clothes, he lit a cigarette and took a pull off of it.  
He knew he had an idiot grin on his face but he didn't care. He had the most incredible woman he'd ever known with him again. And she'd come to him, he didn't have to chase her, beg her. Hell, she wanted to be with him, which is more than he could say for Buffy, or that nutters bitch….."Hello, my love, I've come back." …..Dru.  
Spike turned and faced her, rolling his eyes, it just figured, nothing ever went his way. Drusilla was in her red lace dress, still lovely, but now that he'd been with Athene, not what she'd once seemed.  
She'd always been his pet, his siress, his beautiful, crazy lover.  
Now, she was a crazy ex, and he knew exactly why she was here.  
"Sensed her, did you. Come back to make sure that I'm still pining away like some lovesick git? Well, shove off, pet, because it's too ruddy late.  
Athene is here. And she's come for me." Spike sneered.  
Dru's face was devious. "Come to rob the cradle again, has she? Really, my Spike, you must be very lonely indeed to consider being with such a relic."  
"You can't stand it, can you." Spike stated. "Can't stand it that I can be happy without you. "  
" Oh, now you're happy, are you? What happens when the old witch needs another nap? Going to wait another 150 years?" Dru snapped.  
"I'm quite rested, my dear. I don't think I'll be napping for a bit. And I definitely have time to kill you before then, so I invite you to leave." Athene spoke from the doorway.  
Dru turned and hissed. "Old Witch, I've been waiting for you. "  
Athene smiled, "And I you. Come, young one, let's play."  
And spreading her arms wide, the crypt was ripped from it's housing and they were all standing in the dark cemetery. Spike felt a moment of fear.  
He'd forgotten the power of her.  
Winds started to blow and clouds rolled across the sky, bring the thunder, and the storm.  
Athene rose in the air, and with a gesture, Drusilla rose with her.  
"Spike, my love, say good-bye to Drusilla, she's going on a little vacation." called Athene.  
Spike was torn by indecision. On one hand, it was a totally exhilarating rush to see Athene wield the storm, and to see Dru at the mercy of her.  
On the other hand, he still loved the psycho and didn't want any permanent damage done. He just wanted her to leave them alone.  
"Athene, come on love, she's not worth it. Just blast her across the continent. We'll be together and she'll still be, well, a pain in the arse, just one that's far away." Spike said calmly.  
"You want her to live?" Athene sounded surprised.  
"I just want us to be together." Spike deflected, rather well, he thought.  
Drusilla screamed out at Athene. "One day, your spells won't work, old woman, then I will watch you suffer."  
Athene laughed then, and Spike heard it echo throughout the cemetery.  
"Fool, my powers only grow with age, every moment I grow, every moment I learn more. You could not have battled me one minute after my rebirth into this life, much less after 2 millennia."  
And with a gesture that looked strange, yet somehow ancient, Drusilla was hit by a ball of lightening and disappeared.  
The storm subsided and Athene sank to the ground.  
Spike walked up and held her.  
"Where is she." he asked reluctantly.  
"Different dimension. One she may even like, I don't know. " Athene sounded weary, and indifferent. Then she walked towards the crypt which with a gesture had been returned to it's original position. "You should've let me kill her."  
  
Buffy and Xander chose this time to take their twentieth cruise by. Seeing Spike, they were almost relieved.  
"Spike, over here." called Buffy.  
He looked up startled and quickly walked over. "Slayer, Scoobie, to what do I owe?"  
"We just came because we heard Dru might be back, and another of your ex's. Athene?" Buffy said, staring at Spike. He looked, well, for lack of a better word. Scared.  
"Dru's already gone, Athene is none of your bloody business." Spike answered.  
"Her brother…" began Xander.  
Spike's eyes went wide. "Where?…Here?" As his eyes darted around the area.   
"Panic much?" Buffy asked, then, "He's not here. We just think he may follow Athene."  
"Apollo has his own life. He very seldom comes to the same place as his sister." said Spike more calmly.  
"Giles says they share a bond, that they have a connection." Xander said, leaning out of the car.  
"They're twins, they're vampires, they have a bond of course. I just don't think he'll come here." Spike shot back.  
Xander couldn't resist. "You hope."  
Spike's eyes sparked. "When the chip is gone, you'll be first Xander, not to feed, just to see you die." he promised.  
Buffy's hand shot out and smacked his mouth. "Shut- up, Spike."  
Xander pointed behind Spike to where Athene was coming from the crypt. Spike turned and held out a hand. She took it and kissed his lips gently, licking the blood from them as she did. Then she turned to the car.  
"Slayer. I am Athene. You come seeking my brother. He is not here. He may come, I do not know. I do not kill you for striking my love because you are the beloved of Angelus, whom I respect. Do not do so again."  
And then she rose in the air, taking Spike with her and was soon out of sight.  
  
"It was creepy, Giles. She can fly, and she probably got rid of Dru. She reads minds, who knows what else she can do. I don't like it. Even Spike looked scared somehow. Like he's gotten himself into something he didn't realize." Buffy explained twenty minutes later in the magic shop.  
"She's not just a vampire, she has many powers. She controls the storm, the winds, the water, she has access to earth magic that has been lost for ages past. This is why the ancient Greeks and Romans worshipped her. To a mortal, she is like a goddess." Giles explained.  
"What? Are you saying that a vampire is Athena, goddess of wisdom?" Willow exclaimed.  
"I've been doing a lot of research and actually it was obvious. Apollo is her brother, but instead of dragging the sun across the sky, as they reported, he controls fire, and the rides in the sky as a fireball. And he hunts. "  
"In myth, Artemis was Apollo's twin and she hunted." Willow protested.  
"Artemis was Apollo's wife, and disappeared over one thousand years ago, we don't know how. Just as Zeus, Hera, Mars, Hades, have. Either they sleep, and return as others, or they are destroyed. Only Athene and Apollo have returned over and over." Giles explained.  
"Our whole civilization comes from a vampire basis. This is unbelievable." Willow said quietly.  
"The coliseum, the games, all bloody battles for pleasure of the gods they worshipped. Not so hard to believe. And Athene, Zeus, and Artemis were all very civilized from the beginning. The others, well, for the time they were advanced. They introduced writing, reading, medicine."  
"And yet they ate their worshippers." Buffy was repulsed.  
"Sacrifices." corrected Giles.  
"So what now? Do we find them, or just let Athene and Spike have their reunion and hope she leaves before her brother wants to visit, or what?" Xander asked.  
"We wait, there is no point in aggravating Athene. " Giles answered.  
  
And in the cave by the sea, Spike was staring up at Athene in wonder. She'd put him into an enchanted sleep on the way here and he felt so alive now that he'd awoken. Refreshed. Excited.  
"A present, my love." she smiled and held something out to him.  
It dropped in his hand and he stared at it for a long moment, then began to laugh. He reached up and kissed her hard, then threw the control chip down and rising, crushed it beneath his bootheel.  
  
End of Part One of the Triad  



	2. Triad2

Spike was psyched. He had hunted all night. Killing and feeding over and over til he was bursting. Now that the chip was gone, he was his old self again. Vicious, arrogant, unstoppable.  
Athene sat in silence while he hunted cooped up in the house by the sea that she'd somehow aquired, she always had to be by the sea. Or she would explore the city, looking at all the new achievements that man had built.  
When Spike returned the second night, Athene had a computer set up and was surfing the web, staring at images, memorizing them.  
"Love, don't you want to come feed?" Spike asked, leaning over and kissing her hair.  
"I do not hunger yet. Perhaps in a year or so." she answered absently.  
"Must be boring not to feed." Spike commented, straddling a chair backwards, and watching her fingers fly over the keyboard.  
"It's not that I can't feed, I just don't have to. I'll still kill if I feel someone deserves it. Killers, rapists, pedophiles. I feel no remorse for such a kill." she answered.  
"I don't feel any remorse anyways." Spike said with a laugh.  
"But you only feed on evil now, did you not notice that? You no longer kill the innocent. A residual effect from your chip-controlled time I would say. That and keeping company with the humans. That usually does it as well." Athene said, turning from the screen to smile at Spike's amazement.  
"How did you know who I've fed on?" Spike questioned.  
"I can read your mind and are connected to you constantly. There isn't a thought you have that I can't read if I so choose. You know this. It was always so." she admonished.  
"I never thought of it as 'mind-reading', I just thought we had a connection." Spike said, uncomfortable.  
"We do. We always have, always will." She said softly.  
"Why the big hurry to catch up?" Spike said pointing at the screen and changing the subject, this was a downer conversation.  
"I am looking for someone, and this is the fastest way to do it without draining my powers." She said tightly.  
"Who are you looking for?" he asked, jealously.  
"An old friend, no one you need to be concerned about. Now, go rest. It will be day soon. I will see you later." and kissing his lips gently, she turned back to the computer and effectively dismissed him.  
"Come with me." he said belligerently.  
"I'm not tired, and this is too important." Athene said, then in a tone that he remembered. "Go, Spike, now."  
He bit off what he was going to say, and left.  
  
Buffy was worried. Spike was missing and even though she'd always wanted him gone, she was a little worried none the less. He hadn't looked that safe last time. And this goddess vampire that he was with seemed a little detached, not a fully formed personality. Willow pointed this out to Giles.  
"Well, you have to understand, if you're in a coma for a year, you take a while to come back to the person you once were. Now, imagine sleeping for 150 years, more than once. It is probably very disorienting for her. Especially since the last 150 years have been ones of great technological advances." Giles explained.  
Spike walked into the magic shop, or rather, burst in, smoldering a few days later. Everyone stared at him in amazement.  
"She's asleep, I need Willow's help." he burst out, throwing the burning blanket off of his back.  
"Willow's help on what? And where the hell have you been?" Buffy demanded.  
"Got a new pad, nice beachfront property. I need Willow to trace this on the computer and tell me what Athene is looking for." Spike held out a piece of paper he'd scribbled on.  
Willow took it and read it, then going to Giles' computer, she did a few movements then sat back as a webpage came up.  
It was beautifully done, many colors, dark purples, burgundies, and blues all mixed together. In gold writing were the following words:  
"Searching for a loved one? Need help of a supernatural nature? Log on with your magic password and enter the realm of Athene. Only the true need enter. Tartarus awaits those who enter falsely."  
Underneath was a line of symbol script that ran around the outside edge of the pages: ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????  
"Can you decipher the code?" Buffy asked.  
"It'll take a minute. Just hold on." Willow said playing around with the controls.  
Then a few minutes later she made a sound of elation. "Yes, got it."  
And she printed out the words again.  
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????  
"Essentially it says.  
Artemis Athene awaits you. The time draws near when you must come out of your exile and help me to fight him. I cannot do it alone, I need you.  
Please contact me, he is arisen, he comes soon. As does the end."  
"Spike, has she mentioned Apollo? At all?" Giles asked.  
"No, and if this means what I think it does….I've got to get out of here." And with that Spike headed for the door.  
Buffy grabbed his arm, "Wait, we still have questions, you can't just take off."  
Spike picked her up and threw her into the wall, then backhanded Giles as he ran at him. "Yes, now I can." then with a wry smile, he left.  
Giles got up from where he'd fallen and said, "Well, guess she removed the chip for him. That's a problem we didn't need."  
  
At the house, Spike skidded to a halt in the foyer, hearing voices in the crypt downstairs.  
"Come in, young one, I will not harm you." a voice, strong and clear came.  
He knew that voice.  
Going downstairs he saw the sight he'd been dreading.  
Apollo.  
Black curls on his head, perfect body, perfect face, what a fop.  
His eyes were amber, like Athene's but his were a little mad, glittered a little too much.  
"Well, if it isn't my sister's vampire pet. Still alive, Spike, very impressive." Apollo intoned.  
"Yeeah, okay. Where's Athene?" Spike asked.  
"I do not know. I followed her here, but I cannot sense her now. I thought you might have an idea." Apollo played with his hunting blade absently.  
"Well, I hate to disappoint you but I have no idea where she's gone. If I did, I'd be with her, not you." Spike answered.  
Apollo laughed, that resounding laugh that Spike hated. A god's laugh.  
"I'm sure you would. Well, I guess we will await her return."  
He paused. "I'm sure she would not leave without you."   
And he gestured for Spike to sit down.  
"What if I need to feed?" Spike asked, "Tonight I mean."  
"I shall provide for you. " Apollo said with an evil smile. " I have already met one of your acquaintances and feasted, he was quite tasty. Not much of a fighter though." he admitted.  
Well, so much for Xander, Spike thought. I always thought I would kill him.  
He sat down and closed his eyes. Blimey, he was tired, this whole week was nutters.  
  
It was dusk when Apollo started getting antsy.  
He tossed Spike around a bit then when that didn't make his sister appear, he started to lose it.  
"Come on." and he drug Spike out into the night, killing whoever they met.  
At the cemetery they ran into Buffy, Giles, Anya and Willow.  
"Spike." called Willow.  
Bloody stupid woman, thought Spike, why not wear a sign that says 'fast food' on your head.  
Apollo dropped Spike for a moment and laughed.  
"Do you think your Slayer can save you? I shall eat her first."   
Spike was at the end of his limited patience.   
Where was Athene, and what did this nut want with her?  
"Uh, Apollo, what about looking for Athene, no offense, but if you keep stopping to eat everyone, we'll never find her." Spike commented.  
"I'm not scared of him, come on, Apollo, do your worst." Buffy taunted.  
Spike just stared at her. He sticks his neck out for these people, and they throw his effort to the wolves, great.  
"Brave. Let us hope you fight better than your friend." Apollo smiled.  
Buffy looked at Spike for explanation. "He ate Xander." Spike muttered.  
Willow paled and Anya looked devastated but Buffy just looked madder.  
"You'll pay for that, god or no god." she promised.  
"Such threats are a waste of time, infant. Immortals die when I pass, what hope do you have, human?" Apollo questioned.  
"Oh, just some good friends, that's all that I've ever needed. How about you? Do you have any friends. Anyone who loves you? I doubt it." Buffy shot out.  
"Many have loved me, many have worshipped me…." he began, but Giles cut him off.  
"In the past, perhaps. You ' had ' worshippers, yes. No more.  
And you had a wife, but Artemis is gone. So now you have nothing."  
Apollo's eyes were flinty. " Artemis loves me still, she will return. She is not ready yet."  
"She has been asleep for a thousand years, Apollo. That's more than enough time for any divorce court. She's not coming back to you. Even your twin deserted you." Buffy commented.  
"What do you know of it." demanded Apollo. "Athene loves me, always."  
"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that." Buffy replied, shaking her head in mock pity.  
"I think I will keep you as a plaything, mortal. Til you beg to die. Until its all you think of." Apollo said, his tone ice.  
Buffy paled but held her ground and looked him in the eye.  
"I'd be begging after 10 seconds in your company, I'm sure."  
Apollo started to smile then laugh as the sky darkened and the winds began to blow. "Ah, my twin approaches. How nice she'll be able to see you die."  
"No one will die, my brother. Not this time." Athene came out from under the earth in front of Buffy and the others. At a gesture from her Spike was brought to her side.  
"You slept, that's why I couldn't detect you. Clever. Why do you hide?" he asked, honestly curious.   
"Because, your time has come, Apollo. You must join the others." Athene said softly.  
He turned white. Then, "NEVER!"  
"I promise you, there is no other way. " Athene said evenly.  
"You cannot. I will destroy you, you know this. Don't make me." he warned.  
"It is true, I cannot fight you alone. I have some help." Athene conceded.  
"What? These mortals? You must be mad." he laughed.  
"Do not discount them, it was they that helped me to find what I needed.  
And they would fight you to the death, which is a noble trait. One that we lack because we are deathless."  
And with a gesture she pointed into the trees and said, "Here comes my army."  
And they all turned to see a woman come from the shadows, glowing like moonlight.  
Silver hair, a dark blue gown, and pale blue eyes. Beautiful yet, somehow, distant and sad.  
"Artemis." Apollo whispered.  
"Come, husband, it is time. Do not make us take you. Come peacefully, as you should have before." her voice was whispery and soft.  
"No, we can stay here, there is so much to do. So many to hunt." he enticed.  
"I stayed for so long after the others had gone, waiting for you to tire of this life, to want to go home. But you insisted I wait longer, and longer.  
Now it is my turn. Come with me, or be lost to me forever." Artemis said softly.  
"Moongoddess, many people would worship you. Stay with me." he begged.  
"I never wanted worshippers, I just wanted you. And peace." she answered. "You will deny me both?"  
"You would fight me, you and my sister together?" he was incredulous.  
"Why do you think I am here? Athene has called me back. And I do not come alone. Another will soon join us if you do not accede our request. And you will not survive against three of us." Artemis promised.  
"Who accompanies you?" demanded Apollo then he smiled cruelly, "Of course, the crippled lover of my sister. The Forge God, Hephaistos. Tell him, she has not been a faithful love. The misguided, besotted, fool."  
"You speak like a wayward child, Apollo, not a god. Decide. Now." Athene said, her tone chill.  
Apollo stared long at his wife, walked up to her and kissed her hand then held it to his cheek.  
"You are as beautiful as you were the first time my eyes beheld you." he said quietly. "And as cold."  
He turned to his sister and smiled.  
"Take me, if you can."  
  
  
Here ends chapter 2 of the Triad  



	3. Triad3

The silence in the cemetery was deafening. And Spike heard Athene let out a sigh that was almost a sob. "You fool." she said softly. "So be it."  
A glow started to emanate from her, golden and shimmering, it was joined by the silver shimmer of Artemis as she joined Athene in front of the humans. A third red shimmer began to form as a auburn haired man with a massive upper body dressed in brown leather carrying a huge hammer rose out of the ground on the other side of Athene.  
The shimmer became brighter as the colors merged, and Apollo raised his own blue aura.  
"You cannot win, stop this, don't make us destroy you, please, Apollo." said Artemis pleadingly.  
"That is what you think." and Apollo raised his hand and fire flew from his fingers, but not at the gods he faced. He hit Giles first and the watcher disappeared in a cloud of smoky ash. Willow barely had time to scream before the fire consumed her, and Anya. Buffy he left, perhaps remembering his promise to her. Then a smile as he looked at Spike.  
"I have been waiting for this for a long time, young one. Say good-bye to the goddess who cannot save you this time." Apollo intoned.  
"Athene…"Spike began, but she gazed at him with such love and understanding, he knew that there was nothing left to say.  
I love you, Athene, he thought to her, I never stopped.  
And then the fire consumed him and he faded away.  
"What? No tears for your lost love, Athene, you become as emotionless as my wife. Hephaistos, you would have her for a wife? Think hard on that.  
She is as cold as the ice that runs through her veins." Apollo stated, a little put out at his sister's lack of reaction.  
Buffy was silent, knowing that the plan they'd worked so hard on, that they'd risked everyone for, hinged on what happened next.  
Athene had followed Spike to the magic shop and had entered after he'd ran out. They'd been shocked but she soon explained that the webpage had been answered. The page was actually a spell, one that could bridge the gap between this dimension and the paradise that the gods had gone to. The Olympus of legend. But a spell of communication only not the one of travel that had once been. Once that bridge had been easily accessible, but as time went on the bridge faded and once there you couldn't return to the earth. Unless someone created a bridge from this side. Athene hadn't understood how to accomplish this. But she knew that the witch might.  
So Willow had searched while Athene spoke of the attempts she'd made in the past to contact the others.  
Once they had found a spell that would work, and Willow and Athene had invoked it, Artemis had come, then Hephaistos. Those were the only ones that were willing and that Athene trusted to let rise again.  
She knew that Artemis was weary of this plane and just wanted Apollo back, and that Hephaistos had never had any interest in this world.  
He just wanted her to come home. He didn't have to say so, and he probably wouldn't. He was a silent man, his speech reserved for things he deemed important.  
Now, it would be up to them.  
Apollo's fire lit a circle around them, only to be quenched by the rain that fell from Athene's storm, his aura frozen by Artemis' cold touch, then the hammer of Hephaistos that smashed it to bits.  
Apollo screamed then, his rage lighting fires in the trees and ground all over the cemetery.  
Hephaistos raised his hammer again, but halted as Athene placed a hand on his upraised arm.  
He looked into her eyes and then stepped back, close enough to guard her but abiding by her wishes.  
"Come, and be at peace, brother." she said softly.  
"NO!" he shouted, the ground starting to shake around them.  
Artemis walked up slowly and touched his face. He fell to the ground in a swoon and she knelt beside him. "Come my love, let's go home." she said gently. And leaning over, she kissed his lips and a glow surrounded them as they disappeared. The fires disappeared and the ground settled as Athene turned to the god of the Forge.  
"Go, I will follow." she said quietly.  
"This is your promise?" he said finally, his voice soft.  
"My promise to you." she amended.  
"I will await you." he said, then he raised her hand and kissed it gently before fading away in a red shimmering light.  
Athene turned to Buffy, "Success. I thank you. The last time I tried to send Apollo back was when I fought him in Greece. I lost but he fled, releasing Spike, so I guess it wasn't a loss after all."  
"How long have you been trying to send him back?" asked Buffy.  
"Over one thousand years. Artemis told me that he would never agree to return home, but I was indulgent of my brother and didn't believe her. I thought he just wanted to experience life more. He wasn't the killer that he became then, he wasn't mad. As time went on, he changed.   
The sleep didn't relieve his madness, it just gave him more strength to harm. Only returning home would cure the madness. And I was growing weary of this world, I longed for the simple pleasures of my world.  
The only thing that held me here other than my brother, was Spike.  
His joy of life, his arrogant audacity. He was so like we had been in the beginning. So sure that we would last forever." she paused and smiled at Buffy. "Forever is a long time."  
"Will the spell bring them back?" Buffy asked.  
"Yes, I will invoke it now. Stand back." And Athene began to chant and gesture with her hands. In a burst of light came Giles, Willow, Anya, Xander and Spike.  
"Love, are you alright?" Spike said, rushing to her.  
"Yes, and all are returned now. I thank you all for your sacrifice, and trust. I could not have succeeded without you." Athene stated.  
"You're going to leave me, aren't you?" Spike said. Pain was in his eyes, and the rest of the gang backed up to give them space.  
"I have to. This is what I have been waiting for, this is what I need. You are the only thing I will miss in this world. " She smiled.  
"You can't leave me." he said pleadingly.  
"Spike, think, my powers are too great for this world, you yourself mistrust them. The only way we could be happy is if I was like you. And that is impossible. I am who I am. But I would ask one favor of you." she said.  
"What's that?" he said sullenly.  
Athene leaned over and whispered in his ear. A small smile came over his face. "I can arrange that." he answered.  
And turning towards Buffy and the others, Athene raised a hand. "Thank you again, and take care of him for me."  
Then she disappeared.  
  
Later that night, as Spike entered the beach house, he looked out onto the beach and saw her, walking in the moonlight.  
Walking down to her, he held her in his arms and stared into the amber glow of her eyes.  
He bent and moved his mouth over hers, tasting that sweet taste once again. And this time it was she that ripped his clothes off and pulled him down to her, her softness melting under his hard, lean, body.  
He made love to her desperately, every thrust bringing a cry from her throat, and when she plunged her teeth into his neck he felt the pain and gloried in it. The darkness came again and he almost ripped her throat with his fangs as he started to feed. The thick, flowing power, ran down his throat and filled his body with fire. He moaned and continued to feed.  
Finally he was sated, and he waited for her to take the power back into herself, but she fed only for a bit then stopped, the fire still an ember in him.  
She stared up at him, pale and lovely.  
"Keep some, to guard you against danger. And to remember me."  
"I love you, and I can never forget you." he promised.  
She let him hold her then she stood up. "I do have one more gift for you, my love. I left it in the house, in the crypt. Be at peace."  
"Probably not, love, but I do wish it for you." Spike said honestly.  
"Fair enough. Farewell." and in the gold shining light, she disappeared.  
Spike let out a sigh and walked slowly up to the house.  
Another woman, gone, and not just away, but to another dimension. It must be a new wanker record.  
Inside he slumped down to the crypt and opened it.  
"Hello, my Spike, what's the bad boy been doing?" came that countyside drawl he knew so well. He smiled.  
"Dru. Hello, pet. What do you think of our new house?"  
  
The third and final part of the Triad.  



End file.
